Curry in Lisbon - Jesus e Goes

My husband and I ate a lot of seafood in Lisbon and we wanted some change. I always wanted to try curry in Lisbon because of its Portugal's history.

The Portuguese colonised Goa, the southwest coast of India, from early 16c up to 1961. As usual, I did some internet research that informs me that Goa is the home of Vindaloo, an intensely hot curry made from pork 'pickled' in vinegar and spices. Pork is not eaten by India's Hindus or Muslims whilst vinegar (originally wine) is not used by Indians. The Portuguese introduced 'Carne de Vinha d'Alhos' which is meat cooked with wine and garlic, that came to be pronounced 'vindaloo' and wine was replaced by wine vinegar, then other vinegar whilst increasing the spices including hot chilies, again that was introduced to India by the Portuguese. This was how Vindaloo curry came about!

Wow, that sounds very interesting!  Curry must taste really good in Portugal. So we found a wee lovely curry restaurant in Lisbon that serves Goan curry. The restaurant is named Jesus e Goes (means 'Jesus is from Goa', and Jesus is the owner's name) at Rua Sao Jose 23 in Lisbon.

For starter, we tried samosa and also chickpea fritters that came with an amazing coriander and coconut chutney.  The chutney was really interesting, in an amazing good way.  It looks really like Japanese wasabi paste that comes with sushi, so you'd almost expect it to taste really hot and spicy that makes your nose really painful. No, not this one. It is actually quite mild but very flavoursome.

Chickpea fritters with coriander chutney

We loved this chutney so much we asked the very helpful and cheerful staff what was in it. She said, "lots and lots of coriander leaves, orange peels, two spoonful of yellow sugar, salt, one spoonful of saffron and half of coconut." and started explaining how to make it. My husband was already looking at me as if to say I should try making one back home.

For main course, my husband tried Goan fish curry and I tried prawn and okra curry.

Goan fish curry

King prawns and okra curry

These come with big plentiful rice!

I enjoyed my king prawns and okra curry however my husband's Goan fish curry was really great. We asked the very helpful and cheerful staff what kind of fish it was in his curry. She said 'pampo' which is probably Portuguese. She also said that no yoghurt is used in Goan food; yoghurt is for Indian, she proudly announced.
Anyway, while I was thinking pampo sounds like shampoo, she was trying to find an alternative word in English and came up with 'croaker fish'.

Later on, I tried to look up on internet. Pampo seems to be pomfret fish, a seawater fish with one single bone and found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. (very different fish from coaler fish ...?) Apparently it has a lot of nutritional values. They are very low in calories and fat; rich in protein that helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and helps to muscles; and also contains high amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids that supply DHA, component for development of the brain. Wow, what a fish!

By the time we finished our curry, we were very full and no room to try their dessert. The restaurant is lovely, a bit small and there was no AC so I was feeling hot. In the meantime, more customers arrived and wanted to consult the menu with the very helpful and cheerful staff.  I was amazed with her full of energy with big friendly smiles, helping them choose dishes whilst I was feeling heat, wanting to get fresh air.

She then came over and suggested that we try her ginger tea. She then went behind the counter and started mixing ingredients which she left to brew for a while and went to attend to other customers who had just arrived.

Her ginger tea eventually arrived, after having let it brewed properly for a good time. Wow, this was like a breath of fresh air! It was a hot tea but really refreshing. I no longer needed to go outside to get a fresh air. I asked her what was in it. She said 'ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, orange, lemon and flower of anise.'

Ginger tea at Jesus e Goes

The menu is short but has interesting dishes on it.  I wish I could try their Goan fish curry again.

The restaurant is not big, just a long rectangular shape with small bar where the very helpful and cheerful staff prepares drinks and ginger tea for customers, and behind the wall there is toilet. They decorated the premises with colourful paintings and it looks fun. 

It was an excellent restaurant. The service was excellent, the food was fantastic, served by a really friendly, helpful and cheerful staff who is absolutely passionate about their food and wants to share that with you. 

So where is it? It's off Avenida da Liberdade, walking toward north on Rua Porta sto. Antao where lots of restaurants congregagtes (near Placa dos Restaudores) that eventually connects Rua de Sao Jose.

There is no sign or name of the restaurant outside so you need to look out for this design on the doors/windows (see below). 

We don't know when we go back to Lisbon again. I hope they will be still there when we go back, serving lovely Goan curry, served by that very helpful and cheerful staff who is really passionate about the food they serve.

That's all forks!